glory_of_romefandomcom-20200214-history
The Free
Classical Era Rome had little to offer in terms of a working caste system, though it seemed to be ideal for their society; seeing as it was a caste system that eventually caused Sparta and more to fall. What Rome did have however was more of a Social Standing, much like in modern society - you can think of Rome as 'ahead of the curve'. Social Class in ancient Rome was hierarchical, but there were multiple and overlapping social hierarchies, and an individual's relative position in one might be higher or lower than in another. The status of freeborn Romans during the Republic was established by: ⦁ ancestry (Patrician or Plebeian); ⦁ Census rank (ordo) based on wealth and political privilege, with the Senatorial and Equestrian ranks elevated above the ordinary citizen; ⦁ attainment of honor (the novus homo or self-made man established his family as nobilis "noble", and thus there were noble Plebeians); and ⦁ citizenship, of which there were grades with varying rights and privileges. Men who lived in towns outside Rome (such as municipia or colonies) might hold citizenship, but lack the right to vote; free-born Roman women were citizens, but could not vote or hold political office. There were also classes of non-citizens with different legal rights, such as peregrini. Under Roman Law, slaves were considered property and had no rights as such. However, some laws regulated slavery and offered slaves protections not extended to other forms of property such as animals. Slaves who had been manumittted were freedmen (liberti), and for the most part enjoyed the same legal rights and protections as free-born citizens. Roman society was patriarchal in the purest sense; the male head of household held special legal powers and privileges that gave him jurisdiction (patria potestas) over all the members of his familia, a more encompassing term than its modern derivative "family" that included adult sons, his wife, married daughters (in the Classical period of Roman history), and various relatives as well as slaves. The patron-client relationship, with the word patronus deriving from pater, "father", was another way in which Roman society was organized into hierarchical groups, though clientela also functioned as a system of overlapping social networks. A patron could be the client of a socially superior or more powerful patron; a client could have multiple patrons. So what does this mean? Simply that your social standing was entirely based off of what you as an individual, collective, community, or otherwise could accomplish. This was established on certain determining factors which include wealth, strength, honor, family, history, and more. Certain social standings were also dependant on your profession, or role in Roma and its surroundings. Senators were often held in the highest regard, and very little took place without their permission. Military Generals, Commanders, and Strategists were all respected by the senate, but their word did little more than warrant worth of company to the Senate itself. Long story short? Pick your role in the role play, and work yourself to bits to impress the senate in order for elevation.